NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THROUGHOUT the week the great battle on the Aisne has continued almost without intermission, the Germans sticking doggedly to their tremendous line of entrenchments, which now might almost be described as a vast elongated fortress, and the French and British attacking them, or else repulsing the counter-attacks which are, of course, the essential feature of the German defence. At the same time, and especially on our left, there has been a perceptible, if very slow, gaining of ground by the Allies—not much to boast of on any particular day, but something quite useful at the end of a week. Needless to say, the losses on both sides have been very heavy, and owing to the weather the hardships have also been very great. We read of men constantly under shell fire, unable to get any sleep owing to the "alarums and excursions" of the enemy, and standing knee-deep in water in the trenches, for the weather has been far rainier than here. It seems almost a miracle that flesh and blood can endure so much, but an even greater miracle is in the heroics cheer- fulness and good spirit of our men. Nothing shakes their invincible fortitude. "I've fallen asleep two or three times writing this" is the refrain of most of the home letters, but officers and men are ready at any moment to meet the call to advance.
